Securing device for wrap-around shoe sole edges



H. WILISCH Sept. 14, 1965 SECURING DEVICE FOR WRAP-AROUND SHOE SOLE EDGES 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed May 26, 1964 FIG.|

INVENTOR.

#0257 ML/S H ATTOE/I/EY H. WlLlSCH Sept. 14, 1965 SECURING DEVICE FOR WRAP-AROUND SHOE SOLE EDGES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 26, 1964 I NVENTOR. J7 W /7/OD BY United States Patent 3,205,516 SEUURING DEVICE FOR WRAP-AROUND SHOE SOLE EDGES Horst Wilisch, Pittlerstrasse 46, Langen, near Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed May 26, 1964, Ser. No. 370,283 Claims priority, application Germany, May 28, 1963,

Claims. (Cl. 121) The present invention relates to apparatus to secure an upstanding rim of a shoe sole, or a wrap-around securing band, to the body of the shoe, and more particularly to a device enabling a snug application which can be utilized for a variety of sizes and styles of shoes.

Wrap-around soles, soles having an upstanding edge and circumferential bands, cause difficulties in securing the upstanding portion of the sole, or the band, to the body of the shoe. These upstanding edges and bands are customarily secured by an adhesive and then hammered on to obtain adhesion. Such adhesion, however, is not obtained without difficulty and without error, due to the natural elasticity of the material used which expands immediately after a hammer blow has been applied. Improving the adhesive material has not been found to be a complete solution because improvements in the quality of the rubber content of the adhesive simultaneously increase the elasticity thereof. Other methods of securing are wasteful of time and therefore involve higher costs. In many instances it is up to the individual skill of the worker to carry out the operation to obtain reliable adhesion.

The use .of vise-like gripping arrangements, ties, or more or less resiliently clad or formed pincers or the like also did not prove to be a solution to the problem, because uniform pressure over the whole circumferential area is not achieved. Movable frames have been proposed, and although the adhesion is thereby improved, they still have not been able to provide for uniform pressure along the edge of the sole, particularly when a variety of sizes and shapes of shoes had to be handled.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a machine which overcomes the above mentioned difficulties, is inexpensive in manufacture, easily adaptable to a variety of sizes, styles and shapes of shoes, can be operated by unskilled, or semi-skilled workers, and which further lends itself readily to become part of continuous production.

Briefly, the invention relates to an apparatus in which adhesion of angular, or wrap-around soles or rims thereof, or bands therefore, is obtained uniformly throughout the entire circumference of the shoe by a pressure means forming a pressure cushion, for example in the form of a tube, which is inflatable, surrounding the edge of the shoes. The inner shape, when inflated, .of the inflatable tube is made to conform approximately to the outer configuration of the edge of the sole. The side of the tube remote from the sole is restrained from outward movement by a frame, so that inflation of the tube will cause pressure concentrically and uniformly against the edge of the sole, and thus the upstanding rim, or securing band.

Means are provided to accommodate various sizes and types of shoes. These means may be in the form of inserts or shaped resilient parts.

The structure, organization and operation .of the invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a form of the present invention, before insertion of a shoe;

FIGURE 2 shows a variation of the invention in accordance with FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the invention of FIGURE 1 with a shoe (highly schematic) and the inflated tube;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section of a form of the inven tion similar to FIGURE 1, showing possible variations;

FIGURE 5a is a detail view of a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section of a form of the invention as shown in FIGURE 5 with a shoe inserted and the tubes in inflated condition;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the arrangement .of FIG- URE l with means to compensate for different sizes by elastic inserts;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-section on line 88 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 illustrates another form of the invention, utilizing an insert, in cross-section;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged partial view of FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a schematic plan view of a form of the invention illustrating a movable insert;

FIGURE 12 illustrates various forms of movable inserts;

FIGURE 13 is a plan view showing another form of movable insert particularly adaptable for pointed or oversized shoes;

FIGURE 14 shows an arrangement with a pair of movable inserts; and

FIGURE 15 illustrates in schematic form, the inven' tion incorporated in an automatic machine adapted for mass production.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIG- URES l, 5 and 6, a base plate 10 has secured thereto an upstanding frame 11 which approximately defines an area of the outline of the sole of the shoe, shown schematically at 5. This frame may be secured to the base plate in any suitable manner, for example, by welding or the like. A-n inflatable pressure cushion 12 is located against the upstanding edge of the frame. This pressure cushion may be in the form of an inflatable tube or the like and is connected to fluid, such as compressed air, not shown, by means of bushing and hose connection 13. The shoe rests on a support, the height of which, and thus .of the shoe above the base plate is adjustable. The support is best seen in FIG. 6, and is formed by a pair of adjustment screws 14-.

The pressure cushion 12 may be of rubber, plastic, or the like, and protected or reinforced at the side facing the sole, for example, by additional rubber, or plastic reinforcements, or by a covering 15, for example of leather, plastic (FIGURE 5), or other suitable protective material. The covering member, or the tube itself, may be secured to frame 11 only on the top edge as at 41, shown in FIG. 5, or on both the top and bottom edges, as at 42, 43, shown in FIG. 5a.

The tube is closed at the ends in known manner, for example, by gluing or cementing and vulcanizing, pressure clamps, .or the like.

When adhering the upstanding portion of a wrap-around sole, or a separate, or integral covering strip or band around the rim of the sole, hereinafter referred to as a wrap-around sole role edge, the shoe is first placed into the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, and then compressed air is applied through bushing 13 so that the inflatable pressure cushion 12 Will expand, as shown in FIGURE 6, and press against the edge of the shoe. Screws 14 adjust the height of the shoe with respect to the pressure cushion. Lateral movement of the pressure cushion away from the shoe is restrained by frame 11. FIGURE 6 illustrates the action in pressing against the shoe located above the base plate.

In order to improve the flexibility of the device and to accommodate various sizes of shoes, it may be desirable to form a pressure cushion as an elongated tube adhered to the frame 11 only on one side, and leaving two free ends which are thinned out, in cross-section, and overlap. This construction is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The tube 12a, in this case, is preferably closed by adhesion and vulcanizing, and any protective covering of leather or the like is also secured to the tube by adhesion, in order to avoid extensive thicknesses and strain points. Since, in operation, back pressure will result from contact with the shoe on the one side, and the frame 11 on the other, there is little danger that any adhesion joints will become loose.

FIGURE 3 shows a form of the frame 11 in which a groove 16 is cut into the frame member 11 in order to prevent the pressure cushion from sliding up and down. If such a guide groove 16 is provided, it is suflicient to secure the pressure cushion in the region of the bushing and hose connection 13. If sufficient overlap of the two tube ends is provided, a'wide variety of sizes and shapes of shoes can be accommodated.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which difierences in sizes between shoes are compensated by means of elastic, preferably highly elastic inserts made, for example, out of formed rubber. Insert 17 is provided to be placed against the shoe. It is held in position by means of a pin 18, passing through a hole 19 in frame 11. The hole in the frame is oversized with respect to the pin, to permit motion of the insert as it is pressed against the shoe under the influence of the inflating, compressed air.

In order to decreaase the number of insert pieces which my have to be kept in stock, an insert which is in step form as shown at 21 in FIGURE 9 may be provided. The insert 21 may be formed in one integral piece, or be made up of stacked, individual elements. Diflerently shaped inserts, and toe pieces 20a, 20b and 200 for variously shaped shoes are illustrated in FIGURE 12. The step type insert 21, pressing against a shoe 5, is brought to proper height with respect to the shoe by means of a holding rod 22. The rod 22 passes through an opening in base plate 10. It has secured thereto an upstanding member 23 provided with a number of locating holes 24. A pin 25,- passing through a desired locating hole and matching holes on a flange 26 formed on base plate 10, then provides for proper location, up or down in FIGURE 9, of the step type insert. A spring 27 is provided to hold the step type insert away from shoe when the-pressure cushion 12 is not inflated, in order to provide for ease of insertion of the shoe, the sole of which is to be secured. Lateral motion is provided by locating holding rod 22 in a bushing 28 formed in upstanding member 23. FIGURE shows a fragment of the step insert 21, with the pressure cushion 12 expanded, for use with an intermediately sized shoe.

Various alternatives to provide for height adjustments may, of course, be devised, for example, ratchets, springheld snap catches, or the like.

FIGURE 11 illustrates a form of the invention in which insert pieces need not be exchanged, and faster work is possible even when working on differently sized shoes. Frame 11 is left open in the region of the toe of the shoe. A movable pressure mechanism, shown in schematic form as a piston-and-cylinder arrangement 30, which can be operated hydraulically or pneumatically, is provided. The cylinder rod carries an end piece, shown as a head or toe piece 31. The shoe is inserted with the head piece 31 withdrawn; then the pressure is applied to' the cylinder-piston arrangement 30, which moves the head piece in engagement with shoe 5 and presses it against the slack pressure cushion shown at 1219 which is then inflated. The force acting on head piece 31 is so controlled, for example by control of the fluid pressure within cylinder-piston arrangement 30, that it will counteract the pressure of the inflated cushion 12. An alternative arrangement to that illustrated in FIGURE 11 is shown in FIGURE 13, illustrating a head piece 31 in combination with a pressure cushion having end sections of reduced size, a form which is desirable for certain pointed styles of shoes. The pressure cushion 120, in this form of the invention, is made more narrow toward the toe end of the shoe in order to permit the head piece 31 to slide against it for small sized, pointed shoes, yet permit the use of the apparatus with broader shoes.

FIGURE 14 illustrates a form of the invention in which both toe and head pieces are pre-formed and move against the shoe. A pair of pressure cylinder and piston arrangements 30a and 30b act, preferably simultaneously, for example under command of a common control, well known and not shown, against the toe piece 31 and a heel piece 32. This arrangement provides for lateral adhesion and pressure, where the curvature of a shoe is particularly difiicult to match; the pressure cushion may be formed in two separate sections as shown at 12d and 12e or in a single piece. With this arrangement it is possible to accommodate a wide variety of sizes and styles, as Well as both ladies and mens shoes.

Referring again to FIGURE 4, and in order to provide for automatic operation, it is possible to provide a separable portion 33 within the base plate 10 which also carries the adjustment screws 14. The base is rigidly formed with braces 34. The separable portion preferably is of slightly larger size than the finished shoe; Withdrawing the base plate portion 33 in the direction of arrow 44 (FIGURE 4) when the edge of the sole is adhered, together with withdrawal of the piston from the pressure arrangement 30, permits the shoe to fall through the resulting opening for further handling by automatic machinery, or transport on a moving belt. Various ways of removably mounting base portion 33 may be used, for example sideways, swinging, vertical dropping, or the like. Movement of portion 33 is then synchronized with the production rhythm. Arrangements of this kind readily permit automatic production and save a separate removal step.

FIGURE 15 shows an arrangement particularly adapted to automatic production. The shoe 5 is carried on a carrier, shown schematically at 35, in a manner known in the art and adapted to the production of the particular industry.

A pressure cushion 36 for the sole is provided in a known manner; it may be mounted independently of the edge pressure cushion 12, or the sole pressure cushion 36 and edge pressure cushion 12 may be secured, as for example, by an adhesive as shown at 37. In operating an arrangement as shown in this FIGURE 15, a pressure fluid such as compressed air is admitted through a tube 38,- to press the sole against the shoe carrier 35; As the sole forms itself around the shoe 5, pressure is admitted to the lateral pressure cushions 12. A time delay is provided, for example, by a storage bulb 39, or delay valve' 40. Any one of the previously shown embodiments, such as the toe and heel piece pressure arrangements illustrated in FIGURES 7 through 10, may be utilized with this embodiment. When the sole is completely adhered on' the bottom as Well as at the sides, pressure is released, and the completed shoe may be transported further on carrier 35 for later handling and processing.

I claim:

1. Press for wrap-around sole edges comprising a shoe support; a frame forming a pair of opposed elongated rigid members spaced apart by a distance wider than the width of the shoe and substantially parallel to the length thereof, inflatable, resilient pressure means located at facing sides of said members essentially along the length of the shoe leaving free at least one of the ends thereof; a movable end piece shaped to match the free shoe end; means movably mounting said end piece; controllable power means moving said end piece into engagement with the shoe, said power means absorbing the counter pressure of said pressure means when inflated.

2. Press as claimed in claim 1 in which said movable end piece forms a size adjusting insert and is located between a portion of said pressure means and the shoe, and the power means moving said end piece insert is formed by said portion of said pressure means contiguous with said end piece.

3. Press as claimed in claim 2, said inserts having a step-form cross-section, and means locating said inserts at a predetermined height in the direction of the steps with respect to the shoe.

4. Press as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of end pieces, one each for the heel and the toe, and simultaneously and oppositely operable power means for moving said end pieces in engagement with the heel and toe portions of the shoe, respectively.

5. Press as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a sole press, and having means for exerting pressure against the sole of the shoe; means operatively associated with 6 said pressure means for supplying a pressure fluid, and time delay means associated with said sole press and said pressure means for causing inflation of the pressure means a predetermined time interval after pressure is exerted against the sole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,563,096 11/25 MacDonald 12-8.1 X 1,822,039 9/31 Kinney 121 FOREIGN PATENTS 472,322 3/51 Canada. 1,143,129 1/63 Germany.

588,358 2/59 Italy. 228,196 5/41 Switzerland.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. PRESS FOR WRAP-AROUND SOLE EDGE COMPRISING A SHOE SUPPORT; A FRAME FORMING A PAIR OF OPPOSED ELONGATED RIGID MEMBERS SPACED APART BY A DISTANCE WIDER THAN THE WIDTH OF THE SHOE AND SUBSTANTIALLY PRALLEL TO THE LENGTH THEREOF, INFLATABLE, RESILIENT PRESSURE MEANS LOCATED AT FACING SIDES OF SAID MEMBERS ESSENTIALLY ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE SHOE LEAVING FREE AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENDS THEREOF; A MOVABLE END PIECE SHAPED TO MATCH THE FREE SHOE END; MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTING SAID END PIECE; CONTROLLABLE POWER MEANS MOVING SAID END PIECE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SHOE, SAID POWER MEANS ABSORBING THE COUNTER PRESSURE OF SAID PRESSURE MEANS WHEN INFLATED. 